JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa hires hotel manager
JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa announced the appointment of Brandy Staab to the role of hotel manager of the luxury resort set on 316 acres of sweeping Sonoran Desert.
Staab brings more than 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry and more than 17 years of leadership experience to her new role, where she oversees the entire day-to-day operations of the hotel and leads the team to continued success in delighting guests with its personalized service.
Staab began her hospitality career at another Arizona favorite, JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa, as a restaurant supervisor and sales coordinator before rising the ranks to director of restaurants. Here, Staab was a member of the resort’s $65 million renovation and reopening team. Staab later transitioned to the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa as the assistant front office manager, which ultimately led to her promotion to director of restaurants. During her initial tenure at JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa, Staab launched the first-ever exclusive Griffin Club and steered a $5 million outlet renovation.
MEB Management Services appoints senior director
MEB Management Services, an Arizona-based property firm that manages more than 23,000 multi-family units, has appointed Lance Dreher to their operations team as senior director of ancillary.
With over 16 years of industry experience, Dreher is able to bridge the gap between accounting and technology. Dreher comes from a background in accounting and technology with several multifamily management organizations across the nation. He excels in Enterprise Resource Planning and the softwares used to effectively implement these strategies.
With knowledge in multiple system, business process upgrades, grueling audits, and countless financial reviews under his belt, Dreher will excel in his new role as senior director of ancillary at MEB.
MEB Management Services Principal Scott Cook said, “Lance’s extensive experience and passion for the multifamily housing industry makes him a strong addition to MEB’s team and will ultimately ensure its ongoing success.”
Ritz-Carlton Paradise Valley, The Palmeraie appoints leadership team
The Ritz-Carlton Paradise Valley, The Palmeraie is pleased to announce the appointment of its leadership team under the guidance of General Manager Steven Szenasi ahead of the resort’s 2023 opening.A new build Ritz-Carlton resort, The Ritz-Carlton Paradise Valley, The Palmeraie is the centerpiece of the $2 billion, 122-acre luxury master-planned development of The Palmeraie. With its innovative design, and extensive experiential offerings, the resort perfectly illustrates the vision of The Ritz-Carlton brand.
With extensive backgrounds in five-star hospitality, the team includes:
Amy Ballard, Director of Sales & Marketing
In her role, Amy will be responsible for the resort’s overall positioning and revenue performance as well as marketing and public relations initiatives. A seasoned hospitality leader with more than 25 years of experience across diverse markets including New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Scottsdale and Vancouver, Amy has served in various sales and marketing roles at such properties as The Ritz-Carlton New York, Battery Park; The Ritz-Carlton, Georgetown; The Beverly Hilton; OPUS Hotel Vancouver; JW Marriott Parq Vancouver and the DOUGLAS.
Maria Ferraris, Director of Residences
In her role, Maria will manage the exceptional team of Residence Ladies and Gentlemen who deliver legendary Ritz-Carlton service to the resident homeowners at The Ritz-Carlton Paradise Valley, The Palmeraie. Maria joins the team after a long tenure with various Ritz-Carlton Residences including The Ritz-Carlton Club, St. Thomas; The Ritz-Carlton Club & Residences, Lake Tahoe; The Ritz-Carlton Club & Residences, Vail; The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikiki Beach and most recently, The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Miami Beach. She is a graduate of Boston University’s School of Management.
Charles Njuguna, Director of Engineering
In his role, Charles will be responsible for overall building and grounds maintenance with particular attention towards safety, security and guest satisfaction. Charles started in the engineering field in his home country of Kenya and has been with Marriott International for more than a decade serving in various roles at The Ritz-Carlton, Doha in Qatar; The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman; JW Marriott Camelback Inn Resort & Spa; Scottsdale Marriott at McDowell Mountains and Scottsdale Marriott Old Town.
Giovana Rodriguez-Postorino, Director of National Accounts
In her role, Giovana will develop relationships with business partners to position The Ritz-Carlton Paradise Valley, The Palmeraie as the premier location for high-end meetings and incentive events. With Marriott International since 2012, Giovana has served in various sales and special event roles with properties such as Orlando World Center Marriott; The JW Marriott and The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grand Lakes. Giovana is a graduate of the University of Central Florida, Rosen College of Hospitality Management.
Rebecca Regaldo, Assistant Residences Manager
In her role, Rebecca will ensure core elements of The Ritz-Carlton service are in place to serve the residence owners at The Ritz-Carlton Paradise Valley, The Palmeraie. As a graduate of The Eller College of Business at The University of Arizona, Rebecca began her career in the hospitality industry at The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas before returning to Arizona where she joined the team at The Phoenician as a guest experience expert and later an ambassador for The Canyon Suites.
“The time has come to assemble our first-in-class leadership team for The Ritz-Carlton Paradise Valley, The Palmeraie,” said Szenasi. I am incredibly fortunate to work alongside these individuals as we progress toward opening and creating memories for our beloved Ritz-Carlton guests.”“We have brought exceptional leaders to The Ritz-Carlton Paradise Valley, The Palmeraie, who will enliven The Ritz-Carlton mystique at this iconic property,” said Bob Kharazmi, Managing Director for Luxury Operations, U.S. & Canada, Marriott International.
Local law firm announces rebrand and anniversary
Local law firm formerly known as David Shapiro Law has announced today that it will change its name to Shapiro Law Team in honor of the firm’s fifth anniversary. The firm, started and owned by David Shapiro, one of Arizona’s most reputable accident injury lawyers in the Valley, has dedicated over a decade to helping individuals who suffer injuries due to negligence. Since Shapiro left his former firm and created what is now known as Shapiro Law Team, the firm has expanded from one employee to nearly 50 and has won settlements for over 1,500 clients and counting. In such a short time, Shapiro Law Team has also resolved a staggering $80,000,000+ on behalf of their clients.
“Over the last five years, our firm has been committed to providing exceptional and aggressive representation to injured clients and their families,” said Shapiro. “The firm’s transformation from one person to a team is what prompted me to rebrand. While we continue to provide the same skilled advocacy for our clients, it is fundamental that I recognize the incredible team behind me. We all fight together as a team for our clients and that is the way it should be.”
Shapiro Law Team’s philosophy and mission for personal injury cases is to recover the maximum amount of compensation for clients, hold the negligent party or parties accountable for their actions, and make the community safer. The team’s attorneys have strong expertise in litigating motor vehicle, trucking/tractor-trailer, pedestrian and bicycle, ridesharing, and serious and fatal accidents stemming from impairment, or drunk driving as well as medical malpractice and premises liability.
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